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CLIFFSIDE PARK, N.J. -- Five children and four adults from a Cliffside Park pre-school and day care center were taken to a local hospital as a precaution Monday due to a Freon leak in a faulty air conditioning unit, Police Chief Richard Gaito told Daily Voice.

"They were working on the unit earlier this morning [at the Apple Montessori School on Gorge Road], and now the oxygen levels are low," Gaito said around 6 p.m.

"We got everyone out of the building," he said.

The nine were taken to Palisades Medical Center "just as a precaution," the chief said.

The school issued a statement on Tuesday:

“Yesterday, a staff member detected an odor that might indicate a potential gas leak. Following our emergency response procedure, children and staff were immediately evacuated from the building and the proper authorities were alerted. First responders, including the fire, police, and EMT, as well as PSE&G, our natural gas utility, responded to the scene.

“After a thorough inspection, it was determined that there was no gas leak on our premises and that our school was safe to occupy. Out of an abundance of caution, we closed our school yesterday, August 2, and the local fire department and an independent heating and cooling specialist visited our school a second time and again verified that our facilities are safe to occupy. Subsequent inspections ruled out that a Freon leak occurred on the premises. As a result, we will be open for camp, today, August 3.

“We are grateful that all the children were all healthy and safe, and proud of our staff for staying alert, executing emergency procedures, and putting the safety of our students first. A special thank you goes to our local first responders who acted quickly to make sure our children and employees were safe.”